Time for a Treat – Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Here’s a quick easy recipe that will use up a little of that cheap cereal you bought this weekend!  (And if you didn’t get any, hurry over to CVS!)  My older kids take a snack to school each day, and our pre-packaged snack stockpile is pretty slim.  I couldn’t make myself buy any of the BOGO granola bars this week, because I didn’t have any coupons and it hurt me to pay even the BOGO Price!

Marshmallows $1.29
Peanut Butter (Stockpiled – about $.35 worth of peanut butter)
Margarine (Stockpiled – free)
Used $.55/1 Rice Krispies from Healthy Meals Healthy Kids Booklet
Stacked with $1/2 Rice Krispies Manufacturer coupon (so $.50/1)
Total $2.43
I did have to purchase the stockpiled margarine and peanut butter at some point, but I never pay for margarine (thanks to my coupons!) and it only used 1/2 cup of peanut butter so I’m guessing the price at $.35.

One single box of Rice Krispy Treats would have cost me about $2.99 for 8 bars (or $.37 each), and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen those on a BOGO sale.  I made 18 giant bars for $2.43 ($.13 each).  It took me all of 12 minutes to make them and maybe 3 more minutes to wrap them up for my kids snacks.  So, I saved $4.32 in 15 minutes, which adds up to $17.28 per hour – not bad for a mommy who hasn’t had a “real job” in forever!!!  

My kids may be the only ones in their entire school who have to suffer with homemade Rice Krispy Treats, but hopefully they’ll understand that we choose to do things a little differently when we can so that we have money for the things we really enjoy, instead of store bought Rice Krispy Treats.  And maybe they’ll grow up and make a few homemade snacks for their families too (if you saw my girls in the kitchen, you’d know they’d spend the whole day cooking up snacks if I’d let them, and even my son enjoys a little time in the kitchen!)

Okay, I’m now climbing down from my soapbox to give you the recipe:)!  You could certainly do the traditional rice krispy treat recipe, but this one is a nice twist on it (especially if you add in the chocolate chips)!  The other thing I like is that adding in the peanut butter gives it at least a little protein, which may help my kiddos through their day without starving!  Here’s what you’ll need:

6 cups Rice Krispies
4 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 10 oz. bag marshmallows

Grease 9×13 pan (I use Pam).  Melt margarine slowly on low in large pan on stove (do not let the butter get brown at all as it will make your Rice Krispy Treats hard).  Once melted, add marshmallows and melt completely (still on low).  Remove from heat, add in peanut butter and mix until smooth.  Then add Rice Krispies, and chocolate chips (optional). Spread into greased pan, and press flat (I usually spray my hand with a little Pam and then press down to get it flat – it keeps my hands from getting sticky!)Wrap up once cooked in Saran wrap, and you just made $4.32 while you enjoyed a little time in the kitchen!